7 Common Airport Parking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

‘Ten minutes from the airport’ sounds fine when you’re booking a holiday. At five in the morning, standing by a bus stop with two suitcases, you might wish you’d checked how often the bus comes. Those ten minutes only start once you’re on it.

A lot of airport parking mistakes come down to details like that. You can spot most of them while you’re still looking at the booking page. The first thing to get right is when you’ll actually need the space.

1. Leaving the parking until the week you fly

Sorting the flights feels like the big job, so it’s tempting to leave the car park for later. The snag is that everyone flying at the start of the school holidays is looking for much the same thing. If you have a car park in mind because you know the route or it’s handy for your terminal, have a look while you still have a choice.

Have both flights to hand when you book. Suppose your return lands at 11.45 pm. By the time you’ve collected your bags and got back to the car, it could be the following day. Put in the time you expect to pick up the car and check what happens if you’re held up. There’s usually something in the terms about collecting it after your booked time.

2. Comparing prices without looking at the journey

Imagine paying a little less for parking and finding out you’ll need to fold a buggy, carry it onto a bus and do the whole thing again on the way home. You might still take that deal. It helps to know what you’re signing up for.

With Park and Ride, you drive to the car park and take a shuttle. With Meet and Greet, you arrange to hand over the car at a designated point, usually near the terminal. An on-airport space puts you within the airport grounds, although you might still need a bus. Once you’ve found two or three options you’d actually use, compare them for the same dates and times. If a quote mentions a separate terminal access charge, add that to the price before you decide. And if you’d rather keep your keys, check who holds them during your trip.

3. Counting the shuttle ride and forgetting the wait

Say the shuttle runs every half hour and takes ten minutes to reach departures. Miss one by a minute and your transfer could take nearly forty minutes, even with a clear run. That’s before you’ve allowed for checking in at the car park. A bus that calls at more than one terminal can take longer, too.

The detail to look for is how often the bus leaves. If the transfer is on request, find out how to arrange it. For a very early flight or a late return, check the hours the service runs. It’s worth taking a screenshot of the return instructions. When you come out of arrivals, you’ll have the stop number or the operator’s phone number to hand.

4. Forgetting to ask where the car will stay

The place where you meet a driver can be miles from where your car is kept. If you’re considering Meet and Greet, look for the name of the operator and the location of the storage site before handing over any money. Find out who can get into the site and whether the operator describes any fencing, gates or monitoring. If the listing is vague, ask the operator directly.

Read reviews for that particular service, especially comments about collection and how the operator handled problems. If you’re handing over your keys, have a look at the terms for reporting damage. A few quick photos at drop-off and a copy of the handover receipt give you a record of the car’s condition and when you left it.

5. Finding out what ‘flexible’ means after your plans change

Your airline emails to say the flight has moved to the following morning. Can you shift the parking by a day? Will the operator charge for the change? Those are worth answering when you’re weighing up two rates for the same space.

Start with the deadline. Some bookings allow changes or cancellations only up to a certain point before drop-off. Check where you need to send the request and how much of the original payment you’d get back if you cancelled. If you’re torn between the cheapest rate and one with more flexibility, look at the actual cost difference. You’ll know what you’re paying for and when you can use it.

6. Putting the airport into the sat nav and hoping for the best

Once you’re on the airport approach, there can be separate lanes for different terminals, car parks and passenger drop-off. Use the postcode from the parking confirmation and read the last few lines of the directions. Those are often the ones that tell you which lane or turning to take.

Check the terminal on each flight booking, particularly if you’re flying out with one airline and back with another. If you return to a different terminal, find out whether you can get back to the car park from there. While you’re looking at the route, check anything specific to your journey. Can you get from the parking bay to departures without using steps? Will the roof box fit under the entrance barrier? These are easier to sort from home.

Flying from Heathrow? Start with the terminal on your ticket when you compare Heathrow airport parking.

7. Planning a departure morning with no spare time

The time you want to reach departures is the starting point. Use your airline’s guidance, then work back through the walk or shuttle ride, parking and the drive from home. Include the bits you can picture taking longer. Perhaps you’ll need to drop the keys at reception or walk back to the boot to fetch the bag someone left behind.

Before you go to bed, check the route for roadworks and save the parking confirmation somewhere you can pull it up quickly. If you’d miss the airline’s suggested arrival time simply by missing one shuttle, move the alarm a little earlier. You’ll be glad of those extra minutes if you’re the one watching the bus leave.

Before you book

Run through the trip from the car park to departures and back again. If you know where to go, how long the transfer might take and what happens if your plans change, you’re ready to weigh up the price. You can compare airport parking with We Compare Parking for your dates.

Airport parking FAQs

What if my return flight is delayed?

Check the booking terms for late collection charges. If you expect to collect the car after your booked time, use the contact details on your confirmation to let the operator know.

Do I have to leave my car keys?

It depends on the booking. With Meet and Greet, you hand over your keys. For other options, check the listing before you pay.